PAW PAW – Ed Foster, convicted in October of second-degree murder and felony murder of Deborah Boothby 12 years ago, was sentenced Wednesday to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

The sentence followed the state mandate that the two guilty findings by a jury be combined into a single verdict because the charges against Foster, 41, of Conyers, Ga., stemmed from only one death.

The monthlong trial ended with Foster being the only one of four suspects that was convicted. A jury for the other three defendants could not come to a unanimous decision on any of them.

Attorneys for two of the defendants – Scottie Shaver, 36, and Shevolier Gill, 33, both of South Haven – met Wednesday with the prosecutor and judge in the case to determine whether a new trial would be scheduled. No new trial dates were decided.

The third suspect, Ivory Shaver, 48, was not at the hearing.

The three are charged with beating and running over Boothby, 34, following an altercation in Covert Township, where she was found on the side of Blue Star Highway.

A fifth person, Adrienne Burnette, of South Haven, earlier pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and perjury in the case.